Insight and Ideas

Every Wednesday I write about ways to help make life more simple and more worry-free. Today I want to share 5 tips to make life easier in general and when life is easier there is always less to worry about!

We minimize the anxiety and stress in our lives by setting ourselves up for success. These 5 tips will do just that: eliminate stress and anxiety by making life much, much easier!

Tip #1: Minimize, declutter, get rid of the excess. Whatever you want to call it the truth is that in our modern lives we tend to accumulate things. Some of these things get used and have meaning while others just seem to be hanging out with us for no apparent reason. When we let go of the things in our lives that we do not need, do not use, or do not bring us joy then we make room to truly live lives we can enjoy without being surrounded by a mess. There are a lot of methods for this but whether you prefer Konmari or the Flylady approach doesn’t matter as much as simplifying your space and then by default also simplifying your life.

Tip #2: Use natural remedies when you feel under the weather. A heating pad or hot water bottle have often soothed me more than taking medicine. And don’t get me wrong, I have no issue with medicine, but I am suggesting that we have a lot of options in front of us before trying medication. Grapefruit essential oil can boost your mood, as can peppermint. Peppermint and lavender essential oils are great for headaches. I like drinking chamomile tea for a variety of symptoms including to help me fall asleep easier in the evening. One of the biggest reasons I like these natural remedies is that is forces us to interact with our symptoms instead of just hoping they go away with a magic pill. If you have a headache and spend a few minutes massaging the pain away with an essential oil blend that time spent, that intention to relieve the pain and the heal, that is just as important as the type of essential oil used. Self massage, or drinking a warm cup of tea with mindfulness, or doing some conscious stretching to alleviate muscle tension are all important ways to nurture ourselves on a regular basis. And when we feel more nurtured our lives get easier.

Tip #3: Meditate. I don’t care how or where you choose to meditate. It can be on the subway or in your backyard or lying in bed before you fall asleep at night, but the how and where does not matter as much as whether you spend time doing it at all. Take some deep breaths while waiting in line at the grocery store. Use your daily walk to clear your mind and focus on the present in a walking meditation. When we take time to consciously slow down our thoughts and to let a sense of peace fill us we are making an investment in inner peace and that definitely makes our lives easier.

Tip #4: Reduce screen time. This is one I need more work on myself. In our modern era it is hard to get away from screens whether they are on our television, on our smartphones, on our tablets or on our computers. We spend the day going from screen to screen and that information overload only increases the noise inside our heads. Step away. Read a book. Play with your kid. Take up a musical instrument. Craft. Have a chat in person with a friend. We need to recharge and screens do not help us in doing so. Taking some dedicated time away from your screens might be hard at first but it makes life easier because you feel more grounded and less electrified.

Tip #5: Talk to someone. If there is something really bothering you, something that you feel like you cannot resolve on your own. Don’t let it just build up inside. Talk to someone! The someone can be a friend, your spouse, your therapist, an expert, or someone like me who works with spiritual guidance and intuitive coaching in order to help people clearly define their own path forward. Sometimes we need help and if this is you then asking for help can make life easier.